Ship-testing catchall

[oneblackcat]

To Try:

Omi:
Akaya
Kura
Nagi (not for the same set-up, but as long as futureverse catchall is there, maybe a test thread for what they'd be like?)

Kura:
Ken
Rasu
Hak
Soo-won
Jaeha

Mizuki:
Hak
Ran
Rasu
Yun (I know you don't want a bitchfest, but I still wanna try this one... lol)

Yukimi:
Ran
Rasu
Jaeha
Nami
Kimina

Yagyuu:
Fuji
Hak
Yukimura

Goku:
Ouka
Yona

Comments

[realisateur]

"I'm a film director," he says, straightening up a little. Mizuki is proud of what he's accomplished, after all. It's not easy to make it in this business. Being at the helm of a movie is a lot of responsibility. And he likes the control he has over the artistic vision. He has the talent to make all the moving parts work together, too.

"So you see, making people listen comes with the job."

[raijyuu]

"That's not what I'm talking about." Film director, huh? Artsy. That could be a pretty prestigious job, if you were good and got lucky enough to make a blockbuster or win an Oscar.

"Do you have fun with it?" The job, he means.

[realisateur]

"Oh."

Well, okay.

And what an odd question, he thinks. Though perhaps it's trickier than he first suspects. The practical side of him would say 'fun' is irrelevant. And yet at the same time, he finds it hard to apply himself so deeply to something he wouldn't find fulfilling somehow.

"I suppose I do," he says thoughtfully. "It's very meticulous work. And yet, you do get a great degree of freedom to shape the outcome. It's very satisfying in that regard."

[raijyuu]

"Sounds like a lot of trouble."

By which Hak means 'effort.' Way more than he was interested in exerting, anyway. Too much planning and examining details. It was funny that Mizuki thought of the work as coming with freedom. His description, though in reference to a different aspect, still sounds to Hak like it's the very opposite of the word.

[realisateur]

"Anything worth achieving surely takes some effort," Mizuki says with some confusion. Isn't that how one gets what they want? Of course, he doesn't expect most people or even a handful of people to want to do what he does. It is a lot of trouble. But if you do what you love to do, then it's not so bad.

"You know what I mean, right?"

For example...Hak must believe achieving a good physique is worth the effort. One glimpse at his body is ample enough evidence.

[raijyuu]

"Sure," Hak agrees easily. "But some kinds of effort are more trouble than others, depending on who you are." It takes effort for Hak to train his body, but it isn't taxing the way crossing every T and dotting every I on a creative project would be to him.

And naturally, Mizuki would be different from him. Hak flashes him an irreverent grin.

"Which is good for humble ruffians like me. Saves us from having to do your kind of work."

[realisateur]

He grins well, Mizuki can grant him that. It's the dangerous sort, that can turn rational folks like himself into fools if he's not too careful. Mizuki snorts softly.

"Clearly you have a good idea of where your own talents lie."

Hak may take that as an invitation to elaborate further, if he likes. Looks aside, he must surely have other virtues to recommend himself. No one who knows Mizuki half so well would set him up with a beautiful bimbo.

[raijyuu]

Hak half-shrugs.

"Fighting. Military tactics... Taking naps."

Trolling was the real last answer, but he wouldn't be very good at it if he directly admitted it.

"When you grow up around people who live in combat, you come out of it with a different view of what you need to know in life, probably."

[realisateur]

"I see," Mizuki says, feeling slightly sobered. He has studied the military before of course, for a film he once made. But he's never actually served in combat himself. It's not the sort of thing he would be very good at. (Though he might be an excellent tactician ... in another life).

"What sort of view is that?"

[raijyuu]

Hak pauses for a moment to think on how to answer that. It's a heavy subject, and Mizuki seems to both appreciate the gravity and be earnestly curious about what he means. He deserves a serious answer.

"...Some people have lives that benefit more from book smarts. Jobs that require that kind of higher learning, and homes that are well removed from war zone horrors.

"That kind of knowledge wouldn't serve me the same way. Growing up with no sense of constancy, and having regular exposure to broken people and places at the hands of broken systems, what was more valuable was having a sense of worldliness. To understand the different political and cultural environments around; to quickly adapt to the unexpected; to be able to analyze a risky situation; and to read a person's intentions well enough to avoid getting outsmarted. And, worse come to worse... to be strong enough to protect yourself and anyone you treasure. Even at a cost."

Which in essence also meant understanding the potential to lose who knew what at any time, being ready for it and not letting the fear of as much cripple you.

[realisateur]

Suddenly, Hak was looking 1000% more attractive than he did when he first showed up, if that was at all possible. Mizuki once again found himself opening his mouth and not being able to find the right words.

"Er."

He nods and takes a brief sip from his drink.

"That's very sobering. But I should think that anyone under your protection must be fortunate indeed."

[raijyuu]

Hak grins wryly, his head slightly lowered.

"Well, thank you very much." There's a strange humility in his acceptance of the compliment. He hardly has need for it; he's certainly no slouch in the department of being strong enough to protect. With two little brothers to look after, he'd made sure of that much from a young age indeed.

"At any rate, at this age I'm set enough in my ways pursuing something more academic is bound to end in disappointment for everyone involved." Not for lack of intelligence, but simple lack of motivation. Hak was content and comfortable in the life he had.

[realisateur]

What age is he? Mizuki studies his face and wonders this question, but decides not to ask. He has a youthful look, but does seem rather mature in other ways that weren't apparent when he first sat down.

"Well I think you've spent your time wisely..."

Certainly enough to make his mark in his field, in his own way.

"Do you watch the movies very much?"

[raijyuu]

"Occasionally," Hak says with a shrug. Hey, it's the movies, who doesn't see one at least once in a while?

"Got one to plug for me?" Hey, he might well see it just out of curiosity, as long as it wasn't something mushy.

[realisateur]

"Just curious, I suppose."

In truth, he wonders whether a guy like Hak would find Mizuki very interesting at all. The life he's led is very different to Mizuki's own rather sheltered existence. Book smarts versus world smarts. It would make for an interesting pairing in a movie or a fictional story maybe. It's the lens he sees a lot of things in, which might to be to his disadvantage. How such things translate in real life is less clear to him. Otherwise, he would be a documentary writer.

"If you're ever curious about how they're made, you're welcome to come by the studio," he finds himself saying.

[raijyuu]

"Oh?" Hak's eyebrows lift. He can't say he expected an invitation like that. He figured movie sets were forbidden access to commoners like him unless their connection to the industry was tight.

"Sure, sounds interesting." A rare opportunity at least.